“Daily Star, sir,” called Jason, carrying some newspapers under his arm. The little boy had been running up and down the street, but there were still twenty ________ left. His voice was almost gone and his heart was heavy. The shops would soon close, and all the people would go home. He would have to go home too, carrying the papers ________ money. He had hoped to sell more papers tonight to make more money to buy a ________ for his mother and some seeds for his bird. That was why he had bought the papers with all his money. He broke down as he thought of his failure to sell all his papers.

“You don’t know the ________ of selling papers. You must shout, ‘Hot news! Bomb bursting!’” another newsboy Chad told Jason. “________ it’s not in the paper at all,” replied Jason. “Just run away quickly ________ they have time to see, and you’ll ________ out and get your money,” Chad said.

It was a new ________ to Jason. He thought of his bird with no seeds and the cake he wanted to buy for his mother, but was determined that he would not tell a lie. Though he was ________ a poor newsboy, he had been ________ some good things.

The next afternoon Jason went to the office for his papers ________. Several boys were crowding around Chad, who declared (声明) with a ________ smile that he sold six dozen the day before. He added that Jason ________ money because he would not tell a lie. The boys ________ at Jason. “You wouldn’t tell a lie yesterday, my boy?” A gentleman at the office came up and patted Jason’s shoulder fondly, “You’re just the boy I am looking for.” A week later Jason started his new ________. He lost the sale of twenty papers because he would not tell a lie, but got a well-paid job because he told the truth.